I am not trying to torture you, I promise. I know it must seem like I sit around all day, cackling evilly, stroking my black cat, scheming up ways to trick you into eating lima beans and kale, but I don’t. Cross my heart. I don’t even have a cat – although I do sometimes cackle, but never at your expense. Everything I do here, I do out of love. Which is also, coincidentally, why I am going to talk today about a Savoy cabbage gratin.

This, in case you wondered, is what love looks like. Isn’t it beautiful? In a vaguely Little Shop of Horrors way? Actually, don’t answer that. I don’t want anything to color my feelings for this cabbage.

Those of you who have been around here for a while may remember that I am quitefondof a book called All About Braising, by Molly Stevens. Actually, I’m so fond of it, and so nerdy, that I’ve plastered my copy with a pack of Post-It® flags left over from my half-hearted attempt at graduate school, one flag for each recipe that catches my eye. As of this writing, there are 16 flags in all, enough to make the poor thing look like it’s wearing one of those jackets with fringe that were all the rage in the eighties. I am a little bit crazy about this book. Even more so now that I’ve made the Savoy cabbage gratin on page 61.

It may not look particularly inspiring, but this gratin made me cry last Tuesday night. Our new(!) president(!) may have also had something to do with it, but for now, let’s focus on the gratin. Talking politics around here makes me nervous, but I am always happy to talk cabbage. Especially Savoy cabbage, the ruffly-collared beauty queen of the cold months. Until I tried this recipe, I didn’t know quite what to do with it, aside from putting it in the crisper drawer, forgetting about it, and cussing profusely when it started to rot. But now I most certainly do know what to do, and I think I will do it at least once every couple of weeks, or, who am I kidding, once a week, until the warm months come back from wherever they went.

Here’s how it works: you slice up a head of Savoy cabbage, along with a bunch of scallions. Then you melt some butter in a large skillet, toss in the cabbage and scallions, and let them cook until the cabbage wilts and starts, just barely, to brown. Then you add some stock and bring it to a simmer, and then you turn the whole mess into a gratin dish. Then you bake it for about an hour under a nice, snug blanket of foil – this is the braising part, just so you know – until it goes completely relaxed. Then, then, as though a dish of meltingly tender cabbage were not soothing enough for a cool night, you take a ration of soft, creamy, pungent cheese – Molly Stevens calls for Saint-Marcellin, but I used Delice de Bourgogne, a triple-cream – and cut it into bits and nubs, which you then scatter over the top. Then you return said cabbage to the oven for another ten minutes, just long enough to melt the cheese and make the kitchen smell outrageously savory and complex, causing everyone present, including you, to stare impatiently at the oven door.

Now, I know I said a lot of nice things about those lima beans last week. I know I compared them to cream-braised Brussels sprouts, a type of praise that is not to be toyed with. But I am tempted to say the same sort of thing about this gratin. This thing is a keeper. As Luisa would say, it’s lamination-worthy, even. We were with our friends Ben and Bonnie and Olaiya on election night, and I think Ben put it best. After he took his first mouthful, he looked up from his plate and said solemnly, proudly, “MOLLY.” To get the full effect, you really had to hear him say it, but you get the idea. He liked it a lot. This one is for him.

– Good stock, either chicken or vegetable, is key here. The first time I made this gratin, I used a quick homemade chicken stock, and it was delicious. The second time, I used store-bought vegetable stock – Imagine brand No-Chicken Broth – and though I wasn’t sure what to expect, it was just as good. In general, though, be picky about store-bought stocks: often, I find, the chicken kind tastes too strong, too overwhelmingly chicken-y, while the vegetable kind tastes just plain gross. That particular Imagine broth is the only one I really like, because it actually tastes like vegetable stock.

– If you can’t find Saint-Marcellin, use a good triple-cream cheese, such as Delice de Bourgogne, Pierre Robert, or Brillat-Savarin. I used Delice de Bourgogne, and it was wonderful. Just remember not to use the rind: it’s too pungent. Also, don’t be tempted to use Brie. It isn’t quite right here.

Set a rack in the middle of the oven, and preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly butter a large (roughly 10”x 14”) gratin dish, or another dish of similar size.

Melt the butter in a large (12-inch or bigger) skillet over medium-high heat. Add the cabbage and scallions, season generously with salt, and cook, stirring, until the cabbage is nicely wilted and just beginning to brown in spots, about 10 minutes. Add the stock, bring to a steady simmer, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes.

Transfer the cabbage, scallions, and all the liquid into the prepared gratin dish. Cover tightly with foil, and bake for 45 minutes. Remove the foil, and continue to bake until the liquid is mostly evaporated, about 20 minutes more. Then remove the dish from the oven. Cut the cheese into small lumps and scatter it over the cabbage. Increase the oven temperature to 375°F, return the dish to the oven, and cook until the cheese is thoroughly melted, about 10 minutes.

Serve hot or warm, as a side dish for almost any meat. I’ll bet it would also be delicious with an egg. Or on its own, as a light meal, with a hunk of bread.

Comments

Awesome. I just love that cookbook. It has something for everyone. (I am very fond of the < HREF="http://kittbo.blogspot.com/2008/04/braised-leeks-and-fish.html" REL="nofollow">braised leeks and fish<> recipe.)I suspect this recipe would work really well with kale, too.

This looks lovely. I have only recently become a convert to all things cabbage partly thanks to the bulgur wheat and cabbage pilaf in Moro East, have you tried it yet? And after all your talk of this braising book I have it in my Amazon basket to buy today.

I’m with you all the way on this one, Molly. Love cabbage! Own a black cat. And I too cried tears of joy on election night. Oh yeah, I’ve been known to cackle as well. Can’t wait to try this with the cheese.

Oooh, another use for Savoy cabbage! This is my favorite cabbage. I bought it the first time purely for it’s looks (I’m so shallow), but it makes a mean cabbage pie. That being said, cabbage pie is the only thing I ever make with it. Until now, that is. A gratin sounds just right to go with the new (!!! indeed!) president and blustery weather, thank you!

Mmmm. I just passed by a Savoy cabbage at the farmer’s market last weekend, and now I could kick myself. Must rectify this situation.I tried a recipe for braised cabbage out of that cookbook a year or more back, and we are head over heels in love with it. We actually FIGHT over the last of it. If I didn’t already think we had the best president-elect, I believe I would nominate Molly Stevens. Maybe in 8 years…

This sounds divine. I’m going to get my hands on one of those ruffled beauties and try it!(Are they all so beautiful, or is it just your luck?!)I adore those Post-it tabs! Funny, I just < HREF="http://devourthis.typepad.com/devour_this/2008/11/i-love-magazine-subscriptions-i-love-arriving-in-the-front-doorway-to-my-apartment-building-turning-the-little-metal-key.html" REL="nofollow">blogged<> about them last night…or rather how I used them to mark up the December issue of Bon Appetit this month — it’s the best issue I’ve seen in a while! You have a couple of shout-outs in my blog (not the first time!). I Love the name Aunt Bill and I can’t wait to try the candy recipe!! Thank you.

I JUST made an impromptu brussels sprout gratin last night! This looks much more professionally done than my improvised dish and SO good. I am wild about cabbage, and I think it might be time to finally buy that book…

You are torturing me with your lovely posts!The best thing I’ve ever found to do with cabbage is the braised Venetian (?) cabbage/rice soup in the Marcella Hazan’s classic Italian cookbook…more like a risotto than a soup, really. If you haven’t done it yet, trust me on this one. This version is definitely on the docket when I head home for the holidays.p.s. That is the sexiest head of cabbage I have ever seen.

You had me buying this book a while ago, but for some reason it’s been an awful lot of time since I looked at it last. That, even though mine has the exact same fringe jacket you’re talking about. Must make savoy cabbage gratin soon! (Loving the cabbage photo – is it actually legal for vegetables to be both pretty AND healthy? I didn’t think so…)

Speaking of slow-cooked cabbage… I made Marcella Hazan’s smothered cabbage and rice soup this weekend, and it is just as delicious as it is ugly – and it’s really, really ugly. Next time you have a cabbage in the fridge, well, I can’t recommend the soup enough. SO. GOOD. (And the ingredients are actually pretty similar to this gratin – onions instead of scallions, parmesean instead of triple-cream, and a little bit of vinegar, plus rice.)And I will definitely keep this dish in mind next time I crave cabbage (it happens! really!) and I don’t want to make soup!

Molly, This recipe certainly looks fabulous, but what I’m leaving a comment for is a particular whole wheat bread recipe you posted eons ago. Rancho La Puerta Whole Wheat bread, to be exact. Well, I baked it and it turned out wonderfully – my first successful bread baking attempt!!! And I have YOU to thank, so thank you, thank you, thank you! I am no longer scared of working with yeast.

Molly, do you think Saint Andre would hit the right notes in this?I have a head of savoy cabbage in the crisper and I’ve been scratching my head over what to do with it. This sounds like just the thing.

okay, you’ve convinced me. I will not hold against you the disproportionate amount of vegetable to dessert recipes if you keep coming up with ones like these! …and as long as we get something sweet every now and then 🙂

Okay okay okay you’ve converted me. I mean I was never a cabbage fan. Coming from a southern family where coleslaw is akin to religion… this was not good. But really ANY friggin’ recipe that calls for triple creme anything… I’m on it.

Oh Molly, it isn’t even cruel to make us eat more vegetables – you’re doing us a favor! And as for last Tuesday, it’s totally going to be one of those moments where you remember everything you did that night – you’ll remember Savoy cabbage gratin and I’ll remember my <>pumpkin pie tarts<>.

I feel the same way about my blog–it is filled with vegeriffic recipes and very few sweet things. Which I have tried to rectify recently, but I understand why others might be put off. I am not put off by vegetables, however, especially for unusual uses for run-of-the-mill vegetables and ryun-of-the-mill uses for unusual vegetables. Like this one. Savoy cabbage, however, I am not even certain *exists* in my grocer’s produce section, but one can sigh and wish for summer again. And a larger produce section. And a large vegetable garden, come spring!

Your recipes are lovely – always!Congratulations on your new president! We were awake throughout the night and cried as much as you all all did. I firmly believe that he is the one man that will be able to sway world opinion and inspire us all to stand together. I rate him right up there with our beloved Nelson Mandela – an a greater compliment I cannot give him!Well done all you Americans!

Molly, about the cheese. I can´t eat cows milk cheese so what do you think about some goats cheese? Too strong? I´m a newcomer and I must just say that I LOVE your blog. Thank you for making my life a bit richer. Love from Sweden. Oh, and congrats on your new president!

Cold wind blowing outside my little cottage, cornstalks dry and brown rustling in the breeze,woodsmoke wafting from my vermont casting stove, cats curled by the fire, a candle in the kitchen window…and this little piece of paradise in my oven.And a good nights sleep thanks to our NEW president!!!!!!!All The BestKary

just want to say that this blog is very impresive, will add this for my reader list. I just started with a little bit similar project,and I’m glad that I found U, well done and thx orangette,we all should learn from the best;)

oh man. You should have seen the frilly outfit I had in the eighties. It was fuschia. It has since turned into a bunch of rags that my dad uses to wash the car. Sad.Anything that compares to those brussels sprouts sounds good to me.

Many years ago, I worked for my father in a produce wholesale business. We were small, and we had narrowed our product line to one main item: cabbage. Yes, we made a living. Anyway, we occasionally got some special cabbage that was said to be the best flavor of all. The variety was Jersey Wakefield. It forms a conical head. Seeds are still available. If you get a chance, try it.

I just wanted to thank you for transitioning into wintertime eats without a deflated obituary to summer’s bounty.Keep the excitement level up! Wintertime feasts may not be able to make us forget about ensalata caprese and fresh, local fruits but it can sure tide us over during the cold months.Matt

This one sounds like it has definite Thanksgiving potential. And the fact that it includes a triple cream like Delice de Bourgogne… so good! I’m emailing a link to my parents right now so they can put it on the list for the big meal. Thank you!

This sounds like a grown up version of a trick my husband’s been practicing since bachelor days:Quarter a head of cabbageQuarter a stick of butterWrap a cabbage and a butter in foil with a little salt and pepper.BBQ (or bake) for a 1/2 hour.But we will certainly try this!

I am all giggly and relaxed at the same time at the thought of making this very, VERY soon.I also have never felt so ignorant in the world of cheese – I didn’t recognize a single one of those names! I think I’ll take your list and show it to my nearest cheese monger. They’ll put me on the right path.Thanks!

You and these vegetable recipes! If it was just me (and if my grocery store actually carried those cheeses–feta is as obscure as it gets around here), I’d whip up a batch and make a couple meals of the stuff, honestly I would, but I have my husband to think about. Before I had a chance to even make the braised brussels sprouts, he said, ever so sweetly, “I’m afraid the only way you’re going to get me to like brussels sprouts is if you get them to taste completely unlike themselves.” The cream-braising doesn’t do that, does it? The poor guy just isn’t fond of the flavor. I won’t complain as he is noble about trying everything I make and getting plenty of raw fruits and veggies throughout the day.

Molly, I relish your blog and have been a fan for some time. (I also enjoy your Bon Ap column.) Up until now, however, I’ve happily read along without feeling compelled to post, but now that you’ve included my cabbage gratin and our new president in the same post (!!), well, I felt I had to send a shout out. I’m honored to say the least! Thank you for all the wonderful writing, photographs and inspiration! Cheers, from another molly!

Hi Molly,I just thought I’d let you know that you’re evil, in a good way- though. I’ve been making that darn Kale every time I get. Now I want this. Man. You can go see how far I’ve taken “your” kale if you want-http://sinequanon.typepad.com/I’m starting to find it amusing. I mean, I was already addicted to the stuff, and now I think it’s an obsession…

Molly, I checked your blog tonight partially to see if you had commented on our new president. Well you didn’t disappoint me as I laughed out loud (really) at the way you slipped it in. Plus you highlighted one of the few recipes i have not tried in “All About Braising.”btw, my 6 year old and I were making strawberry raspberry jam with balsamic vinegar and pepper when I heard the first state (the one I live in!!) went for Obama. My son wants to label the jam Obama jam.Do you have any great recipes for regular cabbage? I get one every two weeks all winter form my CSA. As much as I love “World’s Best Braised Green Cabbage,” there is only so much of it you want.-Robin

Yumm. Thanks for this so-comforting recipe… made it last night and am eating it by itself for tonight’s dinner. For those who can’t find the fancy, likely delicious and rich French cheeses (or who are too stingy, as I was, as the only triple-cream at the store was $10 – and cabbage is cheap, but am I trying to make it expensive?), I would add that this worked beautifully with a hunk of Camembert, double cream, and didn’t break the bank. Tastes fabulous, too.Thanks, Molly.

I love butter and cheese as much as the next person, but I call shenanigans. Giant lashings of butter and double-cream cheese make anything–even pool cue chalk squares appetizing. Do you have any recipes for green veggies that don’t come with a ticket to coronary artery disease? I love your blog (you are an excellent writer), but the creamy greens are killing me.

Hi, all!Gemma, thanks for the heads-up on that bulgur and cabbage pilaf. I haven’t tried it, but I think that will change very soon…Jesse, you should definitely check out the book, even as a vegetarian. It does have a lot of meat recipes, yes – I won’t lie – but it also has a substantial vegetable chapter, and every recipe I’ve tried from it has been <>spectacular<>. Vici, I’ve heard about that celery gratin, but I haven’t tried it yet. You’d better believe it’s on my to-do list, though.Maggie, I think this might very well be the dish to convince your fiance to eat cabbage. I really do. If you try it, will you let me know what he thinks?Emily and Joanna, I had completely forgotten about Marcella Hazan’s smothered cabbage and rice! Good lord! Completely forgotten. I made it once, loved it, and then, well, forgot. Thanks for the reminder!That makes me so happy, Jess! Happy bread-baking to you.Mary, Saint Andre would be wonderful, I think. Delicious.Anna, I do think that goat cheese might work. I can’t say for sure, but I think so. I would suggest, though, that you use an aged goat cheese, like Bucheron. I think a fresh goat cheese would get lost here.Samarahuel, I think you should try those cream-braised Brussels sprouts. The cream does something absolutely magical to their flavor. It really does make them taste like something else. It’s worth a shot!What a treat to see your name here, Molly! Have I made it clear enough how very much I love your book? It has given me many, many wonderful meals. Thank you. Robin, there are some other cabbage recipes in my < HREF="http://recipesorangette.blogspot.com/" REL="nofollow">recipe index<>. I hope that helps!SE, I have written about <>loads<> of vegetable dishes, some healthy and some more indulgent. I think there’s room for a little bit of everything. If you’re looking for something on the lighter side, you might try the < HREF="http://orangette.blogspot.com/2008/10/pleasantly-sogged.html" REL="nofollow">kale<> I wrote about recently. Or search my recipe index, which has lots of salads, vegetables, and vegetable soups. Or you could do this gratin without the cheese, which I’ll bet would still be pretty wonderful.

Hi Molly! I have written about your lovely blog in the fourth edition of my new blog project. Slow Blogs is a celebration of original blogs and their blog authors/photographers.http://slowblogs.blogspot.com/Thanks, Molly, for the inspiration!Cheers, Monna

Just found your website. My son and I are picky eaters but my husband will eat almost anything. We do eat a lot of raw food (including cabbage) but I’ll have to try some of your recipes. Great postings! Vikki http://www.food-self-sufficiency.blogspot.com

Molly–Your recipe caused one of those lovely NYC moments. I went to my local cheeseshop and asked for the St. Marcellin… the woman behind the counter asked if I was making Molly Stevens recipe, then offered “I gave her the recipe”! We then proceeded to talk cheese, food and the like. So if all goes according to plan, this recipe will yield three moments of loveliness–the happy accident of asking the right person for cheese, the delight of making the dish and, of course, the happiness of eating it.

If you don’t have any good stock or broth on hand, let me recommend using half water and half white wine, with an extra dash of salt to make up for what you would have gotten from the broth. It doesn’t taste the same, of course, but it does taste good, and much better than tinny bad broth does.

It is <>very<> delicious with an egg, and brown buttered bread on the side, I might add. Made it, coincidentally, with Delice de Borugogne as well, as that was what they had at the cheese shop. I did use the rind, hadn’t read your warning, but I thought it was just fine – a little pungent, but I liked it. Thanks for sharing, Molly 🙂

Hi Molly,This recipe looks great, but I’ve not been able to find Savoy cabbage in the stores recently. Would another type of cabbage work? The plain ole green kind? Also, not knowing that cheese, could you describe the flavor? I’m looking forward to trying it soon. Sounds like a nice and warm dish in cold Chicago.Thanks so much.

Hi Molly, this post is not about veggies or the gingerbread. I just saw your “Kate’s Brownies” recipe in Small magazine and wanted to write. I’ve been using it exclusively since discovering it of all places on a ranch in Kansas. There, it was called “Homestead Brownies.” But, the recipe is on the inside of the box of Baker’s Unsweetened Chocolate, the key ingredient. Just an FYI: I used to have duck eggs and liked the result using them. More cakelike.

I’m shocked — absolutely shocked — that you of all people hadn’t fully appreciated savoy cabbage until now.I’ve loved savoy for years, and I will have to take a look at that cookbook.The recipe is similar to what I’ve been doing with savoy for a while, except that I start out with a little bacon or pancetta and finish with reblochon, which I haven’t been able to get lately, or brillat savarin. (Basically we use whatever’s in the fridge.)My version was actually inspired by tartiflette, a potato dish that I tasted almost 20 years ago.What I like about savoy cabbage is that it turns out more tender and delicate than the regular hard white cabbage that supermarkets also sell.Asian markets also sometimes sell a smooth-leaf cabbage that looks like the typical hard, white cabbage but cooks up very tender in a short time and is almost sweet. My mother said she used to eat it a lot in Taiwan.Love the focus now on veggies, by the way.

Anonymous, I apologize for not replying sooner! I can’t say for sure, since I haven’t tried it, but I do think plain old green cabbage would work for this dish. It might need to cook a bit longer to reach the same tenderness, but it’s definitely worth a shot. And as for the cheese, essentially, you’re looking for a very rich, very creamy cheese with a smooth, almost buttery flavor. < HREF="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/09/05/WISL12IJFC.DTL" REL="nofollow">Here<>‘s an article that does a very nice job of describing Delice de Bourgogne, if it helps.

Tried this tonight. Used Delice de Saligny and homemade chicken stock. I don’t think I loved it as much as you, but I’d probably make it again. E said it was the best cabbage dish he’s had, next to coleslaw. 🙂

I just made this last night and honestly, despite strong skepticism up until I actually ate it, it was DELICIOUS. Creamed cabbage was a key dish of my mom's when I was young (needless to say – terrible!) and I had a hard time imagining that cooking any kind of cabbage for that long would be tasty. Anyway, it was, and thank you for opening my eyes to the joys of savoy cabbage (and braising it)! We used St. Andre cheese & lamb stock (because that's all our grocery had fresh), and it is now definitely in the winter repertoire!

This was WONDERFUL!!!My first experience with Savoy cabbage, my first experience braising… WOW!We used about 1T of butter, 1T grapeseed oil, and Trader Joe’s vegetable broth. Camembert over the top. A huge hit for all–my somewhat skeptical hubby, my visiting parents (put the rinds of the cheese on Dad’s part–that’s his favorite–then we all finished the rest and started eating his part), and visiting friend. Kids wouldn’t try it this time, but I’ll work on them next time…

Phenomenal. Made it over the holidays as part of a vegetarian hodge-podge meal for my little sister (also made those slow-roasted tomatoes of yours and were they ever a hit!) and my sister could not stop eating it. She was so mad at me for not making a double batch 😉

I know this has to be great as I make something similar. I actually gave the recipe to a friend of mine Sarah and she put it on her blog. Mine is cabbage with bacon and then topped with breadcrumbs and cheese amazing and kids love it !!It is on this page http://homeorganics.wordpress.com/

I made this dish for the first time yesterday. I was trying to fancy up a traditional St. Paddy’s day dinner for six, and this dish certainly seemed to fit the bill. GAWD was it deeelishuhs! I may have not stayed true to the concept regarding the cheese that I used, but it was still a dish to swoon over. In my freezer I had an incredibly creamy sweet Gorgonzola, and believe me—no one complained 🙂 I will be preparing this dish for years to come (God willing) for our little family of two—or for the larger groups when we entertain.Big thanx Molly,Jeff

We enjoyed this for several days…so satisfying! I experimented with plain ole cabbage to see how it would work. Trust me, just stick with the Savoy — the texture made a big difference, plus plain cabbage was too watery. I'll bet Napa cabbage could work if you didn't use the watery core and spines. I also experimented using white wine since I only had half a cup of ch. Stock in the freezer. Not a good idea. Thanks for the recipe!

Sounds lovely and inspires me to try some savoyed cabbage in the garden. I've always shied away from it, for the same reasons you look askance – at one time it must surely have sat in a grubby pot, in back of the The Little Shop Of Horrors.But any roasted/braised gabbage dish with scallions, and triple cream cheese must surely be something worth waxing poetic over!(Wish I could say the same for our new president)

Orangette, having just read your now famous cabbage gratin recipe (I read about it in the Times in London) I can see why its such a big hit. Like you I'm a fan of greens and slow braising and have just blogged a Leeks in Oyster recipe to that end. maybe you might want to take a look when you have a minute!kind regardsjo

Just made this (found your blog through a link when searching for savoy cabbage recipes, since I had 3/4 of a head leftover from some coleslaw I had made). I don't even really like cabbage, but I cannot believe how wonderful this was; we had it with grilled pork chops. Will definitely be making it again.

Just made this (found your blog through a link when searching for savoy cabbage recipes, since I had 3/4 of a head leftover from some coleslaw I had made). I don't even really like cabbage, but I cannot believe how wonderful this was; we had it with grilled pork chops. Will definitely be making it again.

I got a savoy cabbage in my weekly fruit & veggie delivery box and had no idea what to do with it. After googling recipes, I came across this wonderful blog! Made it on a cold Friday night and it turned out beautifully. Thanks for posting such a unique recipe!

I got a savoy cabbage in my weekly fruit & veggie delivery box and had no idea what to do with it. After googling recipes, I came across this wonderful blog! Made it on a cold Friday night and it turned out beautifully. Thanks for posting such a unique recipe!